Moistener



Nov. 1s, 1941.

W. JOHNSON ET AL MOISTENER Filed Aug. 5, 1939 v :Jn/um', W. H JohnsonPatented Nov. 18, 1941 MOISTENER William Howard Joh Johnson,

nson and Lester Howard Santa Barbara,

Calif., assignors of one-third to Jasper M. Lane, North Long- Beach,

Calif.

Application August 3, 1939, Serial No. 288,222

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an envelope moistener, the general object ofthe invention being to provide a container for water having slots in itstop with a wick passing through the slots with its ends in the water anda portion of the wick extending over the top.

'I'he invention also consists in certainr other features ofconstruction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a moistener as constructed inaccordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof approximately on line 2 2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure' 2 showing a modifiedform of the moistener.

As shown in this drawing the device lincludes a container l for theliquid, the container being closed by a removable cover 2 having a pairof slots 3 therein. A wick 4 passes through these slots into the liquidwith a portion of the wick extending over the top of the cover betweenthe slots. Thus the liquid is drawn to the top part of the wick bycapillary attraction and this damp portion of the wick at the top of thecover will moisten the envelope.

In the modification the container l is formed with an integral cover andthe slots 3' are formed therein for the wick. In order to permit waterto be placed in the container the cover is provided with a hole 5between the slots and which is normally covered by the wick. By liftingthe wick the hole is exposed so that liquid can be poured through thesame into the container. If desired the hole can be closed by a (Cl.{l1-54.4)

stopper. It is to be observed that in both of the forms the upper sideof the box is in the shape of a segment of a cylinder and is upwardlyconvex. The reason of this peculiar formation is that one is enabled towipe the edge of an envelope ap over the pad 4 without the gummed partcoming in contact with the top wall or lid. Thus the top wall or lid isat all times kept clean and free from gummy deposits. At the same timethis curvature of the top wall presents a saddle like surface for themoistening strip so that a good contact between the envelope and themoistening strip may be obtained by bending the ends of the envelopeslightly downward. This makes it unnecessary to force the envelope intocontact with the moistening pad by pressure with the fingers on thatpart of the envelope in contact with the pad and the danger of soilin-gthe fingers is thus eliminated.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invent-ion will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction,combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided such changesfall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim and Patent is:

An envelope moistener comprising a rectangudesire to protect by Lettersy lar receptacle, an overhanging cover having an arcuate upper surfacecoinciding with a curved plane whose axis is remote from the bottom ofthe receptacle, said cover having laterally extending slots therein anda wick of lesser width than the cover disposed on the arcuate surfacethereof and extending through the slots with its extremities extendingin close relation to the bottom of the receptacle.

WILLIAM HOWARD JOHNSON.

LESTER. HOWARD JOHNSON.

